Talking with Toddlers

The following is a list of basic signs that you can use to help your toddler to express a few simple things. Don't feel that you have to learn all these signs at once. Start with the one that your toddler will most want to use. (I usually start with "more".) If you're not getting traction with one sign, don't give up. Try another one. The first sign for each toddler is different, and you just have to experiment until one works. After one sign is solid, the toddler will aquire others that are important. Click on the word to see a brief video demonstration of the sign. Note: you will need to have quicktime installed on your computer in order to view the video files. If you don't have quicktime, click here for a free download.

More
This sign is very useful for requesting to have more of something such as cookies, cheese, or anything good. Children will often learn this sign quickly, depending on the goodness of the thing that they are requesting.

All done/Finish
This sign allows a child to tell you when he or she is ready to stop an activity, such as at the end of mealtime or when the child is ready to get out of the bath.

Help
This is a sign that will allow a toddler to ask for help with some activity. A good way to model it is to try doing something hard (like opening a container), and ask the toddler to "help" because you can't do it alone.

Eat
This is a very important sign to most toddlers. It can take the place of pulling the parent to the fidge.

Drink
Here is the sign for drink. Some children have difficulty distinguishing this sign from "eat" and so I often recommend that parents use the sign for "milk."

Milk
This sign is easy for most toddlers to do. It can be used to mean "milk" or it can be for a more general meaning of "drink."

Cookie
The single most important sign. Enough said.

Play
Use this sign to get the fun started. It can mean "toys," "play outside," or anything you like.

Ball
A sign that many toddlers seem to be able to do with ease.

Stop
For toddlers that need to protect themselves from older siblings who like to steal their toys.

Plane
Because some toddlers are fascinated by planes.

Train
For toddlers that are truly vehicle-obsessed.

Please
This is a sign that parents often ask for. Be aware that it can be confused with the meaning of "more". I typically stress "please" to start an activity and "more" to continue it.

Thank you
Again, working on manners is important, but may not compute to a toddler just beginning the process of communicating with signs. Model this sign, but it may not be one that you see used by your toddler very quickly.

Apple
An apple a day...

Cracker
Another staple of the toddler diet.

Mommy
Parental unit A.

Daddy
Parental unit B.

My turn/Mine
Can be used to signify ownership (as in: "these are MY toys-- don't even think about taking them"), or in turn taking.

If you don't see a sign that you would like to try with your toddler, go to the ASL Dictionary from the Communication Technology Lab at Michigan State University.